Antifriction thrust bearing for electric socket wrenches



1952 B. R. UNDERWOOD 2,584,172

ANTIFRICTION THRUST BEARING FOR ELECTRIC SOCKET WRENCHES Filed April 1, 1947 2 SHEETS--SHEET 1 1952 B. R. UNDERWOOD 2,584,172

ANTIFRICTION THRUST BEARING FOR ELECTRIC SOCKET WRENCHES Filed April 1, 1947 2' SHEETS-SHEET 2 52 46 33 4 4a 35 as 64 58 44 Fig. 4.

40 38 3'8 40 JV y 32 Fig. 6. I

Inventor Burl R. Underwood \l\ \J\ I I 33 34 35 6 Patented Feb. 5, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE mrritrcrion THRUST BEARING FUR ELECTRIC SOCKET WRENGHES Burl R. Underwood, Ypsilanti, Mich. Application April 1, 1947, Serial 'No. 738,543 3 claims. (Cl. 368-233) "l Y'This inventionappertai-ns tonovel'and useful improvements in power tools and more particularly to those which may be substituted for manual wrenches andscrew-driyers or the like.

object of this inventionis to provide a self-contained reversible power driven tool means for performing various mechanical operations.

Another object of this'invention is to provide variable ratio gear transmission means, selectively controlled, in said tool.

Another object of this invention is to provide means for controlling the direction of rotation of the said power means, thereby controlling the direction of rotation of a tool receiving means.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved means i017 drivingly connecting the power means and tool receiving means.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a device for materially reducing the labor involved in certain related classes of mechanlc'al'work such asrepair or vehicles, mass Dibdl'idtibl'l 01 articles (if manufacture, 617C.

Ancillary objects and features of novelty shall become apparent to'those'ski'l'le'd in theart, in following the description or the preferred embodiment of th-e'present'invention, "iiiustra'ted in the accompanying drawings, wherein": I

'Iiieure 1 is an eievational side view "or the preferred form of the present invention, parts being shown in section to illustrate details" construction; 7 I

Figure 2 i's an elevational sideview of the invention discIosedin-Fi-Qure 1;

Figure 3' is 'lag-schematic f wire diagram showing theeieotricai'. circuit used herewith;

Eigure 4 is-a longitudinal sectional view of the invention disclosed in Figureaand taken substantially on the line i=4 thereof and in the direction of the-arrows} Figure 5 is aflon'gitudinal sectional view of the invention disclosed in Figure 4 and taken substantially on the line 5--5 thereof and in the direction of the. arrows; and,

Figure 6 is a transverse sectional view of a detail of construction taken substantially on the z tensions and the like thereon and for drivi-n the same. Often times it is desirable toincre'ase the speed at which the wrench is operated and accordingly, a two speed variable ratio "gear transmission is provided herewith.

A housing l0, provided of any suitable material, preferably metallic, is provided of any suitable configuration. It may be made in halves and secured together by friction securing'mean's such as screws l2 er the like. A reduced portion I4 is provided "at one end of said housing and a knurled handle. I B is received on the other end of said housing.

A power means l8, preferablya reversible'eleetrio motor is provided said housingiufhavin'g a power r driven shaft extending therefrom. A transverse partition 22 is provided in said housing separating the san'le into a motor retaming compartment and a gearbox 24. A'secondar'y housing '26 is provided in the gear box and a suitable grease retaining means or oil seal 28 is provided therebetween.

Parallel transverse walls 30 and 32 respectively extend across said housing thereby pro viding journailing 'means for various gears to be described at this time. A plurality of aligned apertures is'recei'ved in said parallel walls 30 and 32, "for the purpose of jcurhallin'g four spur gears therein. It is noted at this point that the said spur gears 33, '31, 35 and 36 are entrained and accordingly, "the end gears will rotate in the same direction upon actuation or any of said gears. Any suitable journalling means may be utilized in securing the gears 33, 34, 3'5 and 36 within the walls Bland 32 respectively, the stub shafts 38 being utilized in gears '34 and 35. -The end gears 33 and 36 respectivel are journaneai bymeans' of relatively-long shafts 40 extending therethrough.

line 6=-6 ofF-ig'tire 4' and in the direction-"of the arrows.

Referring now in detail to the illustrated pre- I ferred embbdim'ellt 'Qfthe invention, like reference characters are used throughout to indicatesimilar elements thereof.

invention has' been developed primarily to decrease the-'dii'lieul'ty involved in mechanical repair and-production work and to increase the speed'cf the inechanic or userof the invention, thereby deereasing'c-ost of production and-repair.

A- self-conta-ined power-driven unit, reversible in,

operation, is-providedfor the purpose of receiv ing selective tools such as sockets, socket ex- A selectedstub-shait 38' extend to and within the partition '22; being journalled therein. A relatively small-spurgear 42 and large s ur gear H are-provided on the selected shaft 38. Limiting means or collars 46 are rigidly secured to'said shaft 38 adjacent the said gears 42 and. 'A sleevemeinber is is slidably received on splines 50, which are received on the drive shaft 20. A pair'of varied gears 52 and 54 respectively are secured to or formed integral with the sleeve seen from an inspection of Figure 2 that the pivot I may be employed in rigidly fixing the bearing blocks 68 within the said chamber 24. The shafts 40 extend through a pair of said bearing blocks: 68 and bevel gears I4 are provided at the terminal portions of said shafts 40. Immediately be.-

neath each bearing block 68, there is another bevel gear I6, engageable with'bevel gears'IB. -The1ast-. mentioned bevel gears I8 are provided on, cross shafts BU, journalled in transverse bearing blocks 68. It is deemed, from an inspection of Figure 4, that the cross" shafts and drivingly connected with the relatively long shafts 49 and Worms'82 are provided on each of the 'said shafts 40 and 80, intermediate the bevel gears thereon. A spur gear 84 is positioned between said worms and is entrained therewith; Anti-friction bearings 86 are provided in suitable grooves 88 in the housing ID and insimilar grooves 9|] in the said spur gear 54; For'ease in manufacture, an annular collar 92' is provided as the recipient of the anti-friction bear ings 86 on a, selected side of the gear 84. This annular member may besecured by conventional friction means such as the screws IE3. Aligned apertures affording bearings 94 are provided in the said reduced portion of the housing I4 and a lug -96 is received therethrough. The said lug 96 is fixedly secured to the spur gear 84;while-the terminalportions of said 111g may be square in' cross-section for receiving sockets orsocket extensions thereon. The usual spring 'pins 98are provided in said terminal portions for engagement with said. sockets. This latter construction (the spring loadedpins) is conventional'in-the art and a further description thereof is deemed unnecessary. I The terminal portion of the-handle member I6 is provided with internalthreads IUD for receiv-' ing a conventional screw plug I02 therein.- This screw plug has a conductor I04 extendingythere-x through for the purpose of carrying-a supply of: current to the electric motor 18. Conductors I06: extend to the conventional spring-loaded switches I08, thence to the poles I Iii of themotor 18. ,The; mutual ground connection conductor "I I2 extends between a ground pole H4 on saidmotorj I8 and the plug inlet member 108: ---'Upon'actuation-of the switches Iflil selectively, the ground contacts I I6 are selectively engaged along with thecircuit breaking and making contacts I I8. '1:

a It is noted from an inspection of- Figure 2 that the-lug 96 will be rotated upon actuation of the invention. -Further, if it is desiredto manufacture the invention at a redueedcost, char,- acterized by electrical simplicity, the reversiblemotor I8 may be substituted by a motor capableof actuation in one direction. Selective 'diree tion of rotation of the lugs 96 may still be afforded by simply turning the invention over which, in effect,'renders clockwise and "counter clockwise movement available. "By this con struction, the ground wire H2 alonggwith the ground contacts I Ifi'ma'y be obviated: iIhisJlat ter embodiment ofthe present-inventioddis closes the same structure 'essentially,"'-as de'-'-' scribed hereinabovaobviating only a small'por'-' tion ofthe electrical circuit. Of course,'"vv hen the'single direction motor is utilized in' lieu of reversible motor I8, one of the conductors I06 may be employed as a g'round 'wire.-

There has been described and illustrated but preferred embodiments of the present invention, capable of performing all of the specifically mentioned objects, as well rasuothers, However, it is apparenttjo those skilled inithe art, that various changes including omissions, additions and rearrangement of elements may be made herein without departing from the spirit of the invention. Accordingly, limitation is sought only in accordance with the scope of the following claims.

Having thus described the present invention what is ;claimed as novel and improved is as follows i. For use with a power tool, means for rotatively supporting a socket lug comprising a pair of housing sections one of which being provided with a recess, a plate having a groove disposedin said recess, a lug supporting gear disposed between said housing sections, a groove in 'said' gear opposite said first mentioned groove, irolling rotatively disposed insaid bearings and extending through said recess and saidopen ing, gear fixed to saidlug and adapted to: be rotatively actuated for imparting rotative movement to said l ug, a groove in said gear, a platedisposed insaid recess, rolling means disposed in said;

, positions. with, respect tosaidgear.

groove and spacing, said plate'from said ear. and threaded membersjin said housing. engag ing said. plate. for urging .said plate to selective 3.: For use with a power tool, means for rota tively supporting a socketre'ceiving lug compris..;

ing a'housing having an opening ,therein -and a recess communicating with said opening, bearings in .said housing, a .socket- .receiving luglrotatively-.,disposed in saidbearings and extend--.

ing through said recess and said opening, a gear fixed-to sa-id lugand adapted to be rotativ-ely actuated for imparting 'rotative movement-tosaid lug;-a g-roove-in= said-"gearra plate dispcsed in said recess, rolling means disposed in saidgroovev and spacing 'said 'plate'-'fromsaid gear, and

threaded members in said housing engaging said plate for urging said plateto selective po-,-

sitions with respect to said-gear, and a passage insaid-housing for: receiving lubricant" in the appearances-CITED The following references are ofrecord in the file of this patent:

l UNITED, TATES- PATENTS:

Number Name 989,626 McKinZi 1,299,591 Malchow 1 ,384 ,811 Strand 1,397,3'1'7' Eckart 1,462,938 Knapp 1,581,927 Kollock Apr. 20, 1926 1,734,406 Strand Nov. 5, 1929" "Lutz Nov. 17, 1931 

